I finally found a nut milk maker that checks all the boxes! It's now easy to take control of your ingredients (bye-bye fillers and additives) to make silky smooth plant-based milk without having to squeeze nut milk bags or settle for gritty results from other machines. This will revolutionize how we make plant-based milks!
*This post is sponsored by Nama®, a brand I personally use and love. I am honored to be partnering with them! And as part of this partnership, Nama has given me a coupon code to share for the M1 Plant-Based Milk Maker. Type ELAINEM1 at checkout for 10% off! All thoughts and opinions are my own.
There are so many reasons to make homemade nut milk, but for a long time it seemed it just wasn't worth it. With a family of 5 that all drink plant-based milk, it's not a stretch for me to say we often go through a carton a day. That's a lot of milk to be making at home!
I've tried various nut milk machines in the past and just never loved the results. The milk always came out a little gritty, and that's even with soaking the nuts in advance (which the manufacturers recommend for best results). Plus the machines left me with a lot of wet, unusable pulp that left me feeling wasteful.
I've also made homemade almond milk using a blender and then straining the pulp with a nut milk bag. This is actually super easy to do (and delicious), but again it helps to use soaked nuts for creamier results and the yield is limited due to hand squeezing through a nut milk bag. It also takes a lot of manual squeezing to do this every day!
So while I'm very much against all the gums and natural flavors store-bought nut milks contain, there really didn't seem to be a sustainable alternative unless I paid through the nose for more premium almond milks without all the additives (which I reluctantly did).
All of this changed with the launch of the new Nama M1 Plant-Based Milk Maker. This machine is seriously revolutionizing the plant-based milk space. Not only does it seem to have read my mind in addressing the drawbacks of other machines, but it's also beautiful, quiet and easy to clean!
And before I get into the details, I want to share that I'm actually saving money with this machine in the long run! My husband calculated the "breakeven point" to see how many times we'd have to use the M1 before we'd be in the green (comparing the cost of the machine + ingredients against the cost of store-bought milk) and it was around 75-80 times (less than 3 months as we use it daily). So now we are enjoying higher quality milk for less money!
10 Reasons Why I Love the Nama M1 Plant-Based Milk Maker
- Aesthetics. It has such a simple design that is both beautiful and modern, with just one button inside a large dial. It's also compact and takes up very little counter space! I love that the machine is transparent too so you can actually see the milk being made throughout the process. No blackbox mystery here!
- Quick and Easy. It only requires two automatic steps and has a simple digital interface that guides you through the process. All you do is load the machine with raw ingredients, push the button and in less than 2 minutes you have a fresh batch of milk ready to enjoy! It's an intuitive, uncomplicated design that anyone would feel comfortable using.
- Genius Design. I'm obsessed with the pitcher almost as much as the actual machine! The pitcher serves multiple functions: it catches the milk that comes out; the lid measures exactly 1 cup of nuts, seeds or grains; it has markings to measure out the water; and it serves as an airtight container to store the milk! Plus the handle is super comfortable for pouring.
- No Soaking Required. This is one of my favorite features of the M1 because other methods can take up to 8 hours to make fresh milk when accounting for soaking the nuts in advance, and even then the milk still doesn't turn out as rich and creamy.
- High-Quality Milk. I am still in awe every time I use this machine. The milk is SUPER creamy - no grittiness or date chunks. Just a rich, smooth consistency. It is seriously barista quality - delicious, flavorful, fresh, and most importantly, nutritious!
- Quiet. Compared to my blender and other nut milk machines, this one doesn't make much noise and is not disruptive at all.
- Yields More Milk. The automatic rinse cycle spins the milk again after most of it is poured into the pitcher and produces a surprisingly high amount of milk that otherwise would have been wasted. This also helps to further dry the pulp for it to be reused in other recipes.
- Easy to Clean. All the pulp gets concentrated in one place to make it easy to remove, plus the machine has a self-cleaning function and only has minimal parts to wash.
- Creates Reusable Pulp. The M1 yields the driest pulp I've ever experienced, and you can even run an additional spin cycle if you want it even drier. Plus, it comes with a silicone compact storage solution to keep the leftover pulp airtight and fresh!
- Versatile. It does more than just make nut milk, as it can make milk from seeds, coconut and grains too. I've used it to make coffee creamer and soups as well. And you can even use it to make flavored water or infuse olive oils!
Making Homemade Plant Milk
Why It Matters
If you were to look at the ingredients of most milks in the grocery store, you'll find things like additives, carrageenan, gums and/or preservatives. Many contain "natural flavors" as well, which are defined by the FDA as extracts from essentially anything edible (ranging from plant materials to dairy products and animals) that are then built into chemical flavor compounds in a lab to enhance flavors. These are not things I want in my milk!
Control the Ingredients
As a result of using added fillers, most store-bought milks lack freshness, quality and nutritional value. But by making your own, you have complete control and the freshest, most flavorful results. My almond milk, for example, consists of just almonds, filtered water, dates and a pinch of salt. That's it!
Healthier and More Nutrient-Dense
In addition to the unwanted chemicals and additives, many store-bought milks add refined sugars as well. Many people who drink plant-based milks think they're healthy, having no idea that they could be loaded with ingredients with absolutely no nutritional value.
However, when making your own nut milk, you can ensure that every ingredient is made from whole foods, regardless of whether you're making cashew milk, oat milk or rice milk.
How does the Nama M1 Work?
I'm telling you, I've tried other machines and have NEVER had such creamy milk. So, what makes the M1 different?
It comes down to how the machine integrates the blending and straining process. Essentially, when blending the ingredients are mixed into the liquid, facilitating the emulsification of oils and fats. This is what gives the batch of milk its silky smooth texture.
Additionally, the spinning action gently separates the liquid from the solids without applying heat, gradually increasing in speed to extract all the flavor and nutrition. This maximizes the concentration of flavors because all of the flavor added ends up in the milk.
Bottom line - the power of the technology allows for more of the ingredients to actually make it into the milk!
Barista-Quality Milk
When I think of barista milk, I think of thick and creamy milk that feels like silk in my mouth. The crazy thing is that when I make milk with the M1 to use as a creamer, its luxurious feel seriously brings me nostalgia from when I'd casually sip and relax at my favorite coffee shop in Baltimore (back in the day!).
To make a creamer with the M1, simply use less water. The less water you use, the thicker the milk will be! I typically use almonds but have also made it with oat milk.
Homemade Milk is Better for the Environment
Generally speaking, producing plant-based milk has lower greenhouse emissions, land use and water consumption when compared to cow's milk. That being said, store-bought non-dairy milk still contributes to the overall carbon footprint given the packaging, shipping and food waste involved. Making your own milk eliminates all of these issues.
It reduces packaging waste. In addition to eliminating cartons of milk altogether, buying the nuts in bulk for whatever type of milk you're making reduces packaging consumption. You can also store the milk in reusable bottles (or the pitcher itself).
It reduces shipping impact. Store-bought plant milks only contain up to 10% nuts or oats, with the rest being water (and some other additives). It's crazy to me how much all of the emissions created from shipping these cartons could be reduced by just shipping the primary ingredients instead.
It eliminates wasted pulp. Leftover pulp can be repurposed in other recipes to make the process of homemade fresh milk completely waste-free. In addition to using in cereals and cookies, I love incorporating it in this delicious almond pulp strawberry vanilla smoothie and this easy almond pulp hummus!
The Easiest Way to Make Perfect Milk
Gone are the days of searching for the best nut milk makers on the market. With just the press of a button and two minutes I get to enjoy healthy nut milk with a smoother texture than any other I've ever experienced. The same goes for homemade oat milk!
I seriously am so excited that Nama, who also happens to make the best juicers in my opinion, came out with this easy-to-use nut milk machine. It is a dream to be partnering with them to share my honest thoughts about the M1, and I can't wait for you to experience it yourself!
If you do, make sure to try this creamy golden milk from their milk recipe collection.
And as part of this partnership, Nama has given me a coupon code to share for the M1 Plant-Based Milk Maker. Type ELAINEM1 at checkout for 10% off!
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